Why Did the Chicken?
by pacphys
Summary: Turtle tots enjoying or tolerating a little free time.


**A/N:** A response to Madelyn Gale's Dust Bunny Challenge.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Turtles or any associated characters/places/etc. I make no money from this and I mean no harm. Please do not sue.

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**Why Did the Chicken...?**

Michelangelo sat on the floor with his cars and, for some reason, a couple of farm animals. The vehicles ran back and forth along a short length of track. The farm animals did not.

"Vroom! Vroom! EERRRRCH!" He exclaimed in excitement. "Oh no! Chicken! EERRRRCH SPLUNCH! Ewww... Oh no! There's chicken guts on my paint! Vroom! Ack! WALL! SMASH BOOM!" The car became a small projectile after it's little run in with a stationary object at the end of the track. Laughing, Mikey scrambled across the floor to retrieve it and start again.

Leonardo barely spared his brother a disgusted glance, but it was enough to draw his silly sibling's attention.

"Hey, Leo! Why did the chicken cross the road?"

This was just part of 'starting again.' Leo watched for a moment as the car was reset on the short, flat length of thick, rubbery plastic that was serving as Mikey's road.

"To get to the other side, Mikey. Come on, the joke is getting old." This was an understatement in Leonardo's mind. The joke was beyond old. In fact, the joke was prehistoric.

"No, he crossed the road to get smashed!" Mikey crowed as he reset the car and put the chicken in a different spot on his track. A small cow figurine joined it.

There was no response other than a rolling of his eyes as Leonardo returned his attention to his book. He didn't mind his brother playing on the floor, but the constant question (not to be confused with questions, which would imply that Mikey ever asked a different one,) was getting on his nerves.

Master Splinter chose that moment to walk through the room to check on the young boys. Donatello was trailing behind him after finishing an individual training session.

"How are you, my sons?" Splinter asked, though it was clear that Michelangelo was having much more fun than his brother.

Leonardo was first to jump in with a response.

"I just want to read! Can I please go to our bedroom? Mikey's crashing cars and keeps asking why the chicken crossed the road!"

"Leonardo, your brother is sleeping right now. I am afraid you will have to stay out here until Raphael wakes."

"If I had a longer track, I wouldn't have to crash so much." Preparations were set for yet another demolition of a poor, unfortunate Matchbox. There was also a strong potential for the demise of a poor, unfortunate chicken and, possibly, a cow. "Is there anymore track, Father?" Mikey asked sweetly.

"I am sorry, Michelangelo, but that is all I found. For now, it will have to do. I will keep an eye out for more."

As the sound effects started and the car trust forward, barreling toward the unsuspecting fowl - and a bovine - once more, Donatello cocked his head. The track was suddenly incredibly interesting, and it became the subject of a thorough investigation. Donnie didn't speak, but a slight gesture to Mikey asked permission to pick up the track. Though Mikey was occasionally protective of his toys, Donatello generally returned them in good condition. He nodded, and Donatello picked up the object.

The boy darted out of the room with the length of track and set it on the kitchen table. Mikey almost jumped up to follow him, but instead looked at Master Splinter who just shrugged. He did not know what Donatello had in mind either.

The drawer in the kitchen that held scissors, tape, paper clips and any other small odds and ends that the family might find useful, but that didn't necessarily have anywhere else to go was yanked open with more force than was probably necessary. The contents of the drawer were shifted and scattered during a short search. Moments later, Donatello returned to the main room of the lair with Mikey's track and two large paperclips.

"Donnie, whatcha doing?" Mikey asked. He didn't want his track ruined!

"Watch," was the only response he got.

The track was carefully picked up and Donatello gave it a quick twist before using the paperclips to hold the ends together in a strange looking loop.

"There! Now it's longer." Donatello informed his brother's with a smile as he returned the item to his brother.

A long, empty moment passed before anyone spoke. They just looked at the strange shape. Donatello took the track from his brother again and hung it up on a small nail in the wall. It was clear that he expected Mikey to play with it.

"Uh... Donnie," Mikey started, "it's not longer. It's just the same track. What'd you do to it?"

"It's a Moebius strip, and it is longer!" Donatello insisted with a grin, "at least twice as long. And since it's a loop, it can as long as you want it to be, really!"

Leonardo shared a look with Michelangelo then they both shared one with their father. The expression on the boys faces was clearly asking if Donnie was serious.

"Trust me!" Donatello said with a grin as he grabbed a book off the table and jumped up on the couch next to Leo.

Mikey shrugged and started driving his car along the track again, but it never really ended. He laughed in excitement with the new discovery and started making his car sounds again. A small smile graced Master Splinter's features at a minor crisis averted, and he moved to the kitchen to get himself a cup of tea.

Leonardo looked up as the car noises got louder, but Michelangelo didn't seem to notice. It was annoying! They were just stupid car sounds! Couldn't Mikey be just a little quieter? The book, though very interesting, was proving difficult to read. Car noises that vied for his attentions made it that much more difficult. Sparing a glance to the brother on the couch beside him, Donatello didn't seem to be bothered by the noise. Leo wondered if Donnie could hear quite as well as the rest of them. The car was so loud! Surely he couldn't tune it out just like that! He had to be deaf. Just a little? Right?

"Stupid cars." Leo muttered under his breath, sure that neither brother would hear the quiet words. Donatello glanced over and Leo could swear there was almost a smirk on his brother's face. Okay, since he obviously heard that, maybe Donnie _could_ just tune out Mikey's car. Leo wished his brother would teach him that trick.

"Vroom! Vroom! Oh no! Chicken! EERRRRCCH! SPLUNCH!"

The sound of teeth grinding was hard to miss. It took a moment longer for Leo to realize the sound was coming from his own teeth.

"Hey Leo," Mikey called out.

"Yes, Mikey." A hint of exasperation colored Leo's words.

"Why did the chicken cross the Moebius Strip?"

He couldn't take it. There was a long pause of disbelief before Leo called out toward the kitchen where he knew Master Splinter had gone.

"Father, he's doing it again!"


End file.
